Smallholders urged to plant cash crops to earn extra income By : Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR: Rubber and oil palm smallholders areencouraged to plant cash crops to raise their income and at the same time ease the burden caused by the rising cost of living, said Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal. 

He said the planting of crops such as chilli could bring quick returns and reduce the smallholders’ dependence on a particular crop only. 

“We want to raise the capacity of the smallholders by increasing their side income which would benefit them significantly. We hope RISDA (Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority) can help in implementing the planting of the cash crops this year,” he said when delivering the RISDA New Year 2014 message at the RISDA Headquarters, here yesterday. 

Also present were his deputy, Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi and RISDA Director-General Datuk Wan Mohamad Zuki Mohamad. 

A total of RM490 million was allocated for Risda this year as operating expenditure including cash crop planting activities. 

Mohd Shafie said that the much higher income generated would also attract the participation of the younger generation in the agricultural sector. 

Meanwhile, he hoped RISDA could also continue to undertake studies to expand the usage of rubber products besides the study to raise the smallholders’ productivity. 

He said the rubber industry network must be widened so that it could bring higher returns to the smallholders, consumers and nation. 

Mohd Shafie reminded RISDA staff to continue to carry out their task with integrity and prudence to avoid leakages besides strengthening the management of the agency. 

Meanwhile speaking at a media conference, the minister emphasised on the aspect of land ownership by RISDA to ensure that it had permanent income. 

“This is the difference between RISDA and FELCRA. Our land bank is limited everywhere. We must have a land bank to ensure we have the capacity,” he said, adding that the Ministry was identifying suitable land for the purpose. 

 At the function, he handed over RISDA’s development allocation of RM792.6 million to Wan Mohamad Zuki and the umrah incentive for smallholders to 26 recipients comprising the earliest participants for the Replanting Programme. - Bernama

Masing: Till land to cushion impact of rising cost of living by Peter Sibon

Masing and his wife Puan Sri Datin Amar Corrine together with their relatives planting hill paddy at their farm, not far from Tapah Bazaar along the Kuching-Serian Road yesterday.

KUCHING: In the wake of the recent fuel price hike, one way for landowners to cushion the impact of its domino effect is to use their land fully.

In giving this advice, Land Development Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing said the Dayaks, for example, still had plenty of land.

“Malaysians who have land should till their land for food self-sufficiency. All it needs is the willingness to work hard by utilising the land. It would certainly reduce the cost of living.

“I find farming most rewarding,” Masing told thesundaypost here yesterday.

He added this was in line with the government’s effort to help reduce the people’s living expenses, especially among Dayak landowners.

“Cultivate it and the land will give the owner wealth. Leave it uncultivated, and the owner will live in misery. Hard work makes the difference.”

Sharing his personal experience, he said, “My wife and I plant hill paddy. We have been doing this since 1992 and since then we have been self-sufficient in rice. With fish, chickens, goats and deer from our farm, we are practically sufficient in our food supplies. It certainly reduces our household expenditure”.

Masing stressed that land would becomes assets if only the land owners utilised it.

“We must turn dirt into wealth, but only hard work will make it possible,” added the PRS president.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/10/05/masing-till-land-to-cushion-impact-of-rising-cost-of-living/#ixzz3FGnFldpe

Pepper commodity at all-time high on bullish demand

KUCHING: Pepper prices are on fire, rising to a new all-time high despite new supplies flooding the market since harvesting began in May.

With global demand continuing to outstrip supply in the coming years, the industry expects prices to remain high for the foreseeable future.

Year-to-date, the price of Kuching Grade 1 white pepper had risen RM5,400 per tonne or nearly 19% to RM34,400 a tonne yesterday, while the price of black pepper has added RM5,550 per tonne or 28% to RM25,150 a tonne.

The white and black pepper finished at RM29,000 per tonne and RM19,600 per tonne respectively last year.

According to Malaysian Pepper Board, the current year production is expected to top 27,000 tonnes.

“It is unexpected that the prices have gone up so much.The current prices are already very high and we are not sure how far they can go,” Malaysian Pepper Board (MPB) director-general Datuk Grunsin Ayom told StarBiz yesterday.

Some local dealers had anticipated prices to soften as the new crop (harvesting started in May) flooded the market that would alleviate the prolonged tight supply situation.

Grunsin said this was not the case as the new crop was coming to the market on a controlled pace.

“Fundamentally, the market is still very strong.”

He said the price uptrend was not a local but global phenomenon due to the supply shortfall as consumption had far exceeded production for years.

“In the 1980’s,the global consumption was around 120,000 tonnes a year,and this has now tripled.”

Based on International Pepper Community (IPC) 2014 forecast, this year’s global consumption would hit 387,000 tonnes against production of 333,500 tonnes,resulting in a shortfall of 53,500 tonnes.

IPC figures shiown that global pepper consumption grew at an average of 4.8% per annum (2001-2013) as compared to a mere 0.3% increase in average production per annum during the same period.

Grunsin recalled that the last time white pepper hit RM30,000 a tonne was in the 1990’s.

“The current pepper market is very transparent. Farmers are better informed of market trend and price movements, and they are in a better position to determine when to sell their stocks (to get the best price),” he added.

Grunsin said Malaysia was projected to produce between 27,000 tonnes and 27,500 tonnes this year,and that between 70% and 80% of the new crop had been harvested.

Sarawak contributes more than 95% of the country’s production while Johor and Sabah are the other producing states.

RM14.1 billion livestock products in nation

KUCHING: The livestock industry in Malaysia has grown significantly with a total ex-farm value of RM14.1 billion in livestock products in 2013.

Malaysian Society of Animal Production (MSAP) president Dr Abu Hassan Muhammad Ali revealed yesterday that 76 per cent of total value was contributed by the poultry sub-sector with RM7 billion in poultry meat and RM3.6 billion in eggs.

“Poultry and swine dominate local livestock production, having achieved more than 100 per cent self-sufficiency,” he said at the 1st Asean Regional Conference on Animal Production 2014 and 35th Annual Conference of MSAP held at Riverside Majestic Hotel here.

Themed ‘Bridging Technology Gap for Asean Animal Production’, the three-day conference was attended by over 200 participants from Malaysia and abroad including Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Iran, Vietnam, China, United States, Iran, Sudan and Nigeria.

“The livestock sub-sector is one of the most dynamic agriculture sectors in Asean,” he said.

“Besides contributing to overall economic growth, providing employment, wealth creation and ensuring food security, livestock are a major source of income and mode of savings for the rural poor,” he added.

Livestock farming, Hassan further added, has been and continues to be one of the means of alleviating poverty in pro-poor programmes of countries and development organisations.

However, self-sufficiency for ruminant products in Malaysia was still less than 30 per cent.

“Malaysia relies heavily on the import of live animals, beef, mutton, and dairy products to meet the demand of domestic consumption and the processing industry,” he said.

Imported products, he revealed, mainly come from traditional sources such as India, Australia and New Zealand.

“Malaysia has to enhance beef production so we are able to meet at least 50 per cent of our requirement and not be overly dependent on imported beef,” he urged.

Thus, Hassan said new strategies and approaches should be considered by the stakeholders of the industry to address this issue.

“Major challenges for the livestock sub-sector are not only to increase farm output but also strengthen competitiveness while managing risk, so there is sustained growth,” he explained.

“The sub-sector must use resources in a sustainable and optimal way, meet the market with innovations in products, services and delivery systems that recognised consumer needs and their rights,” he advised.

Hassan hopes the livestock industry can explore various options, innovations and experiences that have accumulated within the region and other developed nations.

“The application of scientific knowledge, research and value innovations should be emphasised to increase production, productivity, quality and higher value along the value chain,” he said.

The theme of the conference, Hassan pointed out, was chosen by the society as an expression of concern with regards to the global development of the livestock industry facing numerous challenges, especially to transfer livestock technologies generated by researchers to be adopted at the needing end.

“The society believes there are opportunities and options that can be explored together by all players of the industry from the Asean region,” he said.

“The linkages and bonds between scientists, government officers, producers, service providers, farmers and stakeholders of the animal industry need to remain strong so that together we can initiate changes and improvement of the industry towards fulfilling the growing demand for food,” he urged.

Hassan assured that the society would continue to support Malaysia’s effort of increasing livestock production in this country.

“The society with expertise from its members would also like to offer services such as consultancy and training to organisations and the government in developing strategic livestock production plans and technical programmes for the development of the livestock industry,” he said.

He welcomes input, suggestions and requirements from various interest groups so that activities can be organised for the betterment of the livestock industry.

“For those involved in the industry, you are most welcomed to join the society and share your passion and vision with us,” he added.

The conference features speakers from local and abroad presenting plenary papers and oral presentations as well as a mini exhibition on posters of research conducted by local scientists and post-graduate students.

Deputy Chief Minister and Modernisation of Agriculture Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr Alfred Jabu Numpang represented Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem in opening the conference.

Also seen were assistant Public Utilities (Water Supply) Minister Datuk Sylvester Entri, organising committee chairman Prof Dr Loh Teck Chwen, and state Agriculture Department director Lai Kui Fong.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/06/06/rm14-1-billion-livestock-products-in-nation/#ixzz34Jw1wQnv

Livestock Sector Needs New Strategies, Approaches To Face Major Challenges

KUCHING, June 5 (Bernama) -- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) livestock industry needs new strategies and approaches to face the major challenges, said President of Malaysian Society of Animal Production (MSAP), Dr Abu Hassan Muhammad Ali.

Abu Hassan said the industry faced the challenges not only to increase output but also to strengthen competitiveness while managing risks, so that there would be sustainable growth.

He said the industry should explore various options, innovations and experiences that had been accumulated within the region and other developed nations.

"The application of scientific knowledge, research and value innovations should be emphasised to increase production, quality and higher value along the value chain," he said at the 1st Asean Regional Conference on Animal Production 2014 here Thursday.

Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister, Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang, represented Chief Minister, Tan Sri Adenan Satem, to officiate the three-day conference starting today.

Abu Hassan said the global livestock industry faced numerous challenges, among them, the transfer of livestock technologies generated by researches.

"The MSAP believes that there are opportunities and options that can be explored together by all players of the industry from Asean.

He said the Malaysian livestock industry has grown significantly with the total ex-farm value of livestock products of RM14.1 billion in 2013, of which 76 per cent was contributed by the poultry sub-sector (RM7 billion) and eggs (RM3.6 billion).

Abu Hassan said consumption of livestock products in Malaysia has shown a steady increase with rapid growth of the economy and rising income.

"Malaysia relies heavily on the import of live animals, beef, mutton and dairy products to meet the demand for domestic consumption and the processing industry.

"Imports of these products mainly come from traditional sources such as India, Australia and New Zealand," he said.

He said Malaysia has to enhance its beef production so that the country would be able to meet at least 50 per cent of its requirements and not overly-dependent on imported beef.